Colombian actress Juana Acosta will receive the India Catalina Award for Special International Career Achievement at the upcoming Cartagena Film Festival (FICCI), which runs from Wednesday, March 22 to Monday, March 27. The recognition is for Acosta's career of more than 20 years in film and TV, FICCI organizers said in a press release.

"For me it is an immense honor to receive this recognition from one of the most important film festivals in Latin America, to be honored in my homeland is an encouragement to continue working, an impulse to continue believing that we can fulfill our dreams if we move forward with love and respect," said Acosta.

The actress began her performance career in ballet, which she started at three years old.

"I decided to study fine arts, but I always had a passion for acting, I dreamed of making films, of working with great directors, of traveling the world telling stories that would help stir consciences," said the Colombian, recalling her initial attraction to the world of acting and dance.

Acosta began working in television and film. She was part of the casts of Mascarada (1996) and Kalibre 35 (2000), projects that propelled her towards a path in art that allowed her to develop on many artistic and human levels. 

The actress' acting career progressed in Spain, where she had the opportunity to study acting at the Juan Carlos Corazza School in Madrid. There, she starred in several series and films like Carlos (2010), Crematorio (2011), Familia (2013), and Velvet (2014), among many others. 

In 2023, she returned to Colombia to present her play El Perdón, an autobiographical work in which Acosta recounts the murder of her father. 

FICCI organizers said that "her versatility and hard work have led her to create a path of more than 20 years with recognition in Colombia, her homeland, and also in the world."

The India Catalina Awards ceremony will be held on Sunday, March 26, in Cartagena. It will also present the Victor Nieto Lifetime Achievement Award to Colombian director and actress Alejandra Borrero.